Online Reporter
Ronald Mpofu, It’[email protected]
In the rural villages of Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, a girl child’s vulnerability to basic hygienic necessities has caught the attention of a man with a warm heart, Mr Douglas Moyo, thePrincipal Immigration Officer based at Mphoengs Border Post.
The man has solemnly resolved not to spend every cent he earns on himself alone, but to engage and share with marginalised children.
Mr Moyo has mobilised his colleagues to donate periodically to vulnerable children, mainly targeting primary schools within his ward. He also sources assistance from well-wishers and stakeholders.
The donations are distributed during wellness and fitness days for civil servants, where participants first engage in aerobics before playing various sporting disciplines including netball and soccer.
The initiative brings mental and physical health benefits to children, school teachers, parents and
Mr Moyo’s colleagues.
Last month, just a week before schools closed, at least 47 pupils from Mabuledi Primary School in
Mangwe District benefitted from a donation of stationery and sanitary wear aimed at improving learners’ health and easing their preparation for the national examinations commencing on 21 September 2026.
A total of 24 girls and 23 boys received donations, which included sanitary pads, pants for girls, pens, pencils, sharpeners, rulers and rubbers.
The sanitary pads will be distributed to girls who have reached their menstrual cycle, with the school deciding to store the pads so that girls on their periods can collect them through the school’s health teacher.
Other schools which benefitted from the stationery donations included Kweneng Primary School, which received 85 HB pencils, 85 blue pens, 85 rulers, 85 rubbers and 85 sharpeners. Patse Primary
School received 36 of each item, while Nkedile Primary School received 46 sets of the same stationery.
Mr Moyo said this time he had furthered his donations and sourced more sanitary wear to promote good hygiene among young girls.
“We had a wellness day at Mabuledi Primary School on 29 July 2026. I sourced donations for sanitary pads for the marginalised girl child,” he said.
“This time I went further — each girl helped with pads also gets a pair of new pants to promote good hygiene. One hundred pairs of pants were donated to the school and 600 pairs of sanitary pads.”
Grade Seven pupils from four different schools also received stationery sourced by Mr Moyo.
“Further, I also sourced donations for stationery for examination-sitting classes. That is Patse Primary School, Kweneng Primary School and Nkedile Primary School. Each child writing national
Grade Seven examinations was this time given a pen, ruler, rubber, sharpener and an HB pencil,” he said.
All the stationery items donated were received by respective school heads during the wellness and fitness day at Mabuledi.
“All the donated stationery was received by the respective school heads on that day. Thanks to our sponsor, Mr Yang Qi, a Chinese businessman operating a milling plant in Mphoengs, as well as other business stakeholders who chose to remain anonymous,” added Mr Moyo.
“Mr Qi has sourced learning materials for Early Childhood Learning from China. As soon as they are delivered, I will donate to the four primary schools mentioned.”
The official also pledged to have invited health workers from the neighbouring hospital, Saint Anne in Brunapeg, so parents can get free Blood Pressure and Sugar Level tests.
The Community attended in numbers to get free health check-ups as well as health education from the nurses.
School Headmistress, Ms Sinomusa Zondo, expressed her excitement about the donations, saying the pupils had received a great donation that would benefit them.
“The donation is greatly appreciated and has made a meaningful contribution towards meeting the needs of the beneficiaries. We are sincerely grateful for the generosity and support shown. The donation will be used responsibly for its intended purpose.
“As we have also received stationery for the Grade Sevens, they are going to use it during examinations,” said Ms Zondo.
